Ever Heard of Universal Design? Find Out All About it Here!

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

When designing a home it’s important to think about resell factor. Even if you aren’t planning on selling your home for a very long time it’s an important thing to think about. In order to help you out with the concept of universal design we found this article that we hope will help!

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From the article:

Universal Design is about creating an attractive, stylish space that everyone, regardless of age, size, or ability, can live in or visit. A home with Universal Design makes it easier for residents to live in, and for guests to visit now and in the future, even as everybody’s needs and abilities change.

The parts of a home that work well for everyone are Universal Design features. Incorporating them into your home in the pre-construction stage often adds little cost and is usually much cheaper than remodeling a house with traditional design features.
Having Universal Design features and products in a home makes good sense and can be so attractive that no one notices them ??? except for how easy they are to use.

Essential Universal Design features include:

No-step entry: At least one step-free entrance into your home ??? either through the front, back, or garage door???lets everyone, even those who use a wheelchair, enter the home easily and safely.

Single-floor living: Having a bedroom, kitchen, full bathroom with plenty of maneuvering room, and an entertainment area on the same floor makes life convenient for all families.

Wide doorways and hallways: With your home’s doorways at least 36 inches wide, you can easily move large pieces of furniture or appliances through your home. Similarly, hallways that are 42 inches wide and free of hazards or steps let everyone and everything move in, out, and around easily.

Reachable controls and switches: Anyone ??? even a person in a wheelchair ??? can reach light switches that are from 42-48 inches above the floor, thermostats no higher than 48 inches off the floor, and electrical outlets 18-24 inches off the floor.

Easy-to-use handles and switches: Lever-style door handles and faucets, and rocker light switches, make opening doors, turning on water, and lighting a room easier for people of every age and ability.

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Read the entire article here: http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-09-2009/what_is_universal_design.html

Want Your Living Room to be Neat? Try These Ideas!

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Keeping a living room organized is hard. It’s the one room other than the kitchen that every member of the family uses daily. In order to help you keep it neat we found this article with 10 different ideas. We hope it helps!

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From the article:

It’s where you hang out, flop down, decompress. It???s also probably where you read, play, craft, watch movies and entertain. With so much going on, it???s no wonder it can be difficult to keep the living room looking (and feeling) neat. And other than leading an ultraminimalist life, what can be done? Here are 10 tips to ease the burden on this hardworking room, so you can have a neat (enough) living space.

Put some ???speed bumps??? in your entry. If your front door opens directly into your living room, it???s all too easy (especially at the end of a long day) to zoom through the entry and plop down on the sofa, leaving a trail of bags, shoes and mail as you go. Slow the pace of entry by putting in some strategically placed ???speed bumps??? along the way ??? a bench to sit on to take off your shoes, hooks and floating shelves on the wall, a sofa table with storage below and a tray for collecting mail can all help.

And if you own your home and want to make a bigger change, you could think about having a partial wall or another built-in feature installed to help with flow and storage.

Use furniture with hidden storage. Another option is to choose a storage ottoman or bench, either as your coffee table or as an extra seat tucked away beneath a console. You can store media, games, magazines and even shoes inside. The key is to use it to hide the things that usually look messy when strewn all over your living room. If that means you use drawer organizers inside your ottoman and keep junk-drawer stuff in there, so be it!

And of course, for those with kiddos, the storage ottoman makes an ideal toy box. Regularly rotating the toys you store there will keep the little ones interested and make it less likely they will bring tons of toys in from their own rooms. And when they inevitably do bring in more toys? The next strategy will help with that.

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Looking for more ideas to stay organized? Then checkout this article about organization ideas that could be of interest to you.
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Read all the ideas here: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/30175956/list/10-secrets-to-a-neat-living-room

Looking for Ways to Lower Your Home Energy Costs? Checkout These Ideas!

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Saving money is something that everyone is interested in. Especially when they can find a way to save money on something they have to have, like energy. In order to help you out we found this article with 30 different ideas to lower your home energy costs. We hope it works!

From the article:

With utility bills always on the rise, it’s always useful to reduce your home’s energy consumption.

Here are 30 smart and easy ways to lower your energy costs.

No-Cost Fixes

In winter, open drapes, blinds, or shades on south-facing windows and let the sun warm your rooms. Close window coverings at sundown to help insulate. Clean windows maximize solar gain.

In summer, close drapes, blinds, or shades on east- and west-facing windows. Once the sun sets, open the windows to let the cooler night air in, but remember to close and lock ground floor windows before retiring for the night.

Use heat-generating appliances (washers, dryers, or ovens) during the morning or evening when it???s cooler. This reduces the load on your air conditioner in the summer and helps heat the house in the winter.

Low- and Higher-Cost Fixes

Install weather stripping or caulk around doors and windows, and place foam gaskets behind outlet plate covers on exterior walls. If there is a gap at the bottom of the door, install a door sweep or door shoe gasket.

Replace incandescent lightbulbs, especially in high-use areas, with Energy Star?? compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs). While they cost more, compact fluorescent bulbs use much less energy than incandescent bulbs and last a lot longer and are better for the environment.

Install white shades or blinds on windows to reflect heat away from the house if you live in a warm climate. If there isn???t enough roof overhang to shield windows from direct sun, consider installing awnings over west and southfacing windows. They will not only block solar heat, but will also protect furnishings from UV damage.

Ask your utility company to do an energy audit. The cost for an audit varies but some companies offer free audits for low income households.

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Interested in a smart thermostat? Then checkout this article about smart thermostat that could be of interest to you.
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Have a Homeowner’s Association? Learn All About Them Here!

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

If you’ve recently moved into a home that is apart of a homeowner’s association or HOA then you probably have questions about what it is and what it does. in order to help you answer these questions we found this article that we hope will answer all of your questions!

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From the article:

About 20 to 30 percent of home buyers purchase properties within common-interest developments, commonly referred to as homeowners associations (HOAs). Before weighing the pros and cons of owning a property in an HOA community it???s important to understand what HOAs are, how they are governed and how they affect a homeowner???s bottom line.

Here are some basic facts home buyers should know.

What is a common-interest development?
In a common-interest development individual owners typically share some parcel and the buildings on that parcel as co-owners. A common-interest development would generally be a condominium building, a town home community or lofts, or could be a single-family home community, private neighborhood or other similar arrangement. Buyers in the development or building agree to live by the community rules and regulations.

These regulations mean that as an owner you have certain rights and restrictions as outlined by development documents commonly called CC&Rs (covenants, conditions and restrictions). The CC&Rs govern your allowed ownership, use and behavior at the property ??? everything from use of your unit to parking restrictions, insurance, architectural rules, paint colors, storage of RVs or boats, pets, allowed inhabitants and more. These rules and regulations can be changed, subject to approval by a majority of the owners.

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Read the entire article here: http://www.zillow.com/blog/homeowners-associations-primer-152704/

Home Inspection Turn Up Issues? Find Out How to Negotiate to Get Homeowners to Pay for Them Here!

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Home turn up issues all the time during home inspections. Most small manageable things but other times it’s something big. In order to save you some money and still get you the home of your dreams we found this article to help you negotiate with the homeowners to have them pay for them. We hope it helps!

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From the article:

Most would-be buyers and sellers believe the real estate ???deal??? is negotiated at the signing of the contract. By that point, the counteroffers have been made and the back and forth has happened, so it???s easy to assume that the deal will go on auto-pilot until closing.

The reality, though, is that in many cases, the deal-making and negotiations only start at the contract signing. Even in more competitive real estate markets, negotiations still happen once in escrow.

For example, if you???re a buyer, the property inspection or sellers??? disclosures ??? maybe the HVAC system has some issues ??? may prompt you to seek a credit. But where do you go from there?

Here are three tips for negotiating repairs after a home inspection.

1. Ask for a credit for the work to be done
The sellers are on their way out. If the property is moving toward closing, they???re likely packing and dreaming of their new home. The last thing they want to do is repair work on their old home. As a result, they may not approach the work with the same conscientiousness that you, as the new owner, would. They may not even treat the work as a high priority. If you take a cash-back credit at close of escrow, you can use that money to complete the project yourself. Chances are you may do a better job than the seller, too. Finally, if you get the credit, there will be less back and forth to confirm the work has been done.

2. Think ???big picture???
If you know you want to renovate a bathroom within a few years, then you likely won???t care that a little bit of its floor is damaged, that there???s a leaky faucet or that the caulking needs to be redone. These things will get fixed during your future renovation. However, the repairs are still up for negotiation. Asking the seller for a credit to fix these issues will help offset some of your closing costs.

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Looking to get a mortgage? Then checkout this article about getting a home mortgage that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.zillow.com/blog/negotiating-after-home-inspection-140771/

Debating if You Should Trade Up or Remodel? Find Out Here!

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Deciding between fixing up your home or moving into a new home can be a very difficult decision and there are many factors to consider. In order to help you identify all the factors to help you make the best decision for you and your family we found this article. We hope it will help you!

From the article:

Real estate agents often hear from clients who are interested in home buying because they ???need more space??? or they want more ???modern??? kitchens. There may be other reasons their current homes don???t fully meet their needs: a new job, a new relationship, a new baby and so on.

But buying a new home is never the only solution. In fact, in some cases it may be better to remodel or renovate the home you have. Here are some things to consider when deciding whether to remodel, renovate or buy:

Buying means selling, too
Often, the desire for more space leads the homeowner into a simultaneous buy/sell situation. Given that lending standards are still tighter than they were a decade ago, it???s nearly impossible for most people to buy a home before first selling their current home. That means being in limbo ??? potentially homeless ??? until they find a new home. This brings up a great deal of uncertainty.

Buying and selling at the same time is stressful. For starters, in many parts of the country, the inventory of available homes is limited. Yes, you can sell your home, but with inventories so tight, where will you go? Few people want to take that gamble. This is keeping many people, and potential inventory, on the sidelines today.

Buying and selling also comes with a lot of costs. The seller pays the real estate agent???s commission, for instance, along with closing costs on the buy side, plus moving expenses and more. Though it might not be music to a real estate agent???s ears, your money may be better spent on a remodel or renovation.

Credit is easier to obtain
With property values up, homeowners in some parts of the country are realizing an increase in equity of 10 percent to 20 percent over just a year ago. If you suspect that your home equity has increased, call your local bank or mortgage professional or do some research online. You might be surprised to learn that a bank will lend you money ??? more than you might imagine ??? against the equity in your home. Also, a home equity line of credit (HELOC) is considered a mortgage, therefore, the interest part of the loan is tax deductible.

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Looking to make some easy upgrades to your home? Then checkout this article about easy upgrades to home that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.zillow.com/blog/should-you-remodel-or-trade-up-144324/

Have Questions About Homeowner’s Insurance? Get Them Answered Here!

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

After purchasing a home and getting homeowners insurance it can be difficult to know what exactly the insurance covers and what it doesn’t. In order to help you out we found this article with 11 things you didn’t know about homeowner’s insurance. We hope it helps answer your questions!

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From the article:

Think you know everything about your home insurance policy? Is that because you understand the difference between dwelling coverage and personal liability protection? Because you know that floods aren???t covered by standard home insurance?

Think again. You might know more than most, but you probably don???t know everything about your policy ??? unless you???ve read the fine print and committed it to memory. And who???s got time for that? However you don???t want to find yourself stuck without coverage you thought you had. Here are some lesser known coverage nuances you likely weren???t aware of.

It???s electric
When it comes to problems caused by electricity ??? or lack of it ??? coverage varies according to the situation. Two potential issues:

Lightning. Your house is covered if it???s struck by lightning, even if the item struck is your air conditioning unit. You will, however, still have to pay your deductible. (This is true for nearly all the situations in which you???re covered.)

Losses caused by power failure. If lightning strikes a transformer in your neighborhood and knocks out power for several hours, you???re not covered for items ruined in your refrigerator or standalone freezer. However you could purchase extra coverage for this.

The friendly skies
When it comes to aircraft, your coverage protection can be up in air. Check out these scenarios:

An airplane crashes into your house. If you???re at home when this happens, you???ve probably got other concerns. But yes, you are covered for damage to your home should an airplane crash into it.

Damage to an aircraft kept on your property. If that plane is yours, is on the ground and gets damaged through vandalism, fire, a tree falling on it or any other reason, a standard homeowners policy typically won???t help with the repairs.

A satellite crashes into your house. Every few weeks, you hear about long-dead satellites or other pieces of space debris falling victim to gravity and crashing to the ground. And if one hits your house? Yes, you typically are covered. And manmade objects aren???t the only items covered. Standard home insurance also usually covers harm to your home done by meteors.

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Ever considered doing a home inventory? Then checkout this article about doing a home inventory that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.zillow.com/blog/11-facts-about-homeowners-policy-153338/

When Checking Your Credit Do You Know What to Check? Find Out Here!

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Everyone should always know what’s on their credit report. But reading and understanding credit reports can be very confusing. In order to help you out we found this article with five different things to review on your credit report. We hope it helps!

From the article:

As a prospective home owner, you may find yourself paying closer attention to your credit. And rightfully so. A home can be one of the most important investments you???ll make during your lifetime. Home ownership is still the American dream for many. A home can become a part of your family???s story.

Applying for your home loan
Your lender will want to know as much about you as possible before approving your loan application. Before lending money, lenders want to make sure that you meet their credit risk guidelines. This is why it???s so important to check your own credit report ahead of time. What are the elements that make it a good report? What are the elements that may have lowered your score? Remember, what you see on your credit report is what potential lenders may consider when deciding to offer you a loan.

Your credit is a snapshot
Credit ReportThink of your credit report as a snapshot of how you take responsibility for your credit; it???s a snapshot that anyone with permission can review. You might say it reveals the state of your credit???s health at any point in your life. For your own viewing purposes, your credit report is an excellent way to tell if you???re making good financial decisions that could affect where you work, play and live. There are certain types of information on your credit report that you should pay close attention to. These are areas that potential creditors will examine when checking your credit report to determine if you???re a good credit risk.

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Looking to get a mortgage? Then checkout this article about getting a mortgage tips that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.zillow.com/blog/5-important-things-to-review-146693/